Description. The rubber boa is a small to medium sized snake that
may reach about 80 cm. It has a blunt head with small eyes and a blunt
tail. Rubber boas vary in color from olive greenish to dark brown, usually
with a yellow belly.
Distribution. The rubber boa occurs throughout much of Washington.
Populations are spotty, and individuals can be difficult to find even though
they are common in some areas. Outside Washington, rubber boas occur in the
mountains and canyons of Idaho, western Montana, northwestern Wyoming,
northern Utah, northern Nevada, Oregon, and much of
California. Click here to go to the Washington Gap Analysis distribution
map for this species; use the "back" button on your web browser to come
back to this page.
Habitat. Rubber boas live in many habitats, including moist forest,
dry pine forest, and shrubby habitats. They seem to be more common where there
is moisture such as streams or moist soil underground, although the surface
soil may be dry.
Cool Biology Facts. The chubby look and loose skin give the rubber
boas get their name. They never bite, but instead curl up into a ball when
disturbed; they often hold the blunt tail up, and even make fake "strikes"
with it. The bones of the tail are fused into a solid block that is very strong.
Rubber boas often eat young rodents, and they probably use the blunt tail
to defend ward off the adult rodents. Many snakes have scars on the tail from
rodent bites. Unlike most snakes, rubber boas seem to prefer cool temperatures,
and are often active throughout the middle of the night.
Conservation status. Rubber boas occur widely in Washington, and can
be locally common, even though they may be difficult to observe. Their populations
appear to be healthy. Habitat destruction is probably the major threat to
local populations of rubber boas.
Photograph by Brad Moon.
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